Devices are known in the art which purport to create a barrier for use with dock levelers. Typically the dock levelers utilize a lip pivotally attached to the outer portion of the ramp. The pivotal axis of the lip is located such that the rear portion of the lip will extend above the ramp surface, thus forming a barrier. Such a device, however, doesn't provide for the situation in which a truck to be tail loaded is lower than the dock. Whereby the ramp would extend downward and the rear portion of the lip is in an extended cantilevered position, thus obstructing the loading operations.
Another device is known in the art which purports to create a barrier for use with dock levelers. This device consists of a lip, hingedly connected to the front edge of a ramp, which automatically assumes a depending storage position when the ramp is in the stored position. When the ramp and lip are in a stored position, a substantial peripheral portion of the lip projects above the exposed ramp surface thus forming a barrier. The prior art thus cannot also be used to protect a closed overhead door opening which is typically located on a dock because of the prior arts location of the barrier at the end of the ramp. Further the prior art cannot be adapted to retrofit onto other dock levelers. Still further the prior art can only be used when the positioning is by hydraulic means whereas the present invention is compatible with either mechanical or hydraulic.